MANSFIELD — Mansfield native Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Castle has shown her documentary “Warrior Women” in locations across the world.
Soon, she intends to take the film to Europe, but first, she wanted to give her hometown an opportunity to view it in hopes it could kickstart a local movement that would both recognize the importance of and empower Richland County women.
On Saturday evening, Castle’s vision came to life. The Ohio State University at Mansfield hosted a screening of the film with a Warrior Women Hometown Gala at the Founder’s Theatre.
The evening started with the recognition of seven “Mansfield Warrior Women.” They included Inez Shepard, Loretta Hilliard, Carol Payton, Sallie Sylvester, Melodye James, Lydia Reid and Liz Castle (Beth’s mother). These women were described as those who have improved their community and lifted up others process.
Then, the film played. It was the second time the entire version of “Warrior Women” was shown in Mansfield, and still, it attracted enough interest to nearly fill the theatre.
“Warrior Women” tells the story of mother-daughter activists, Madonna Thunder Hawk and Marcy Gilbert, who have long fought for the rights of indigenous people.
“This story is not unique in our communities because there were many mother-daughter, parent-child activists, who have and continue to work together,” said Gilbert, the eldest daughter in her family. “It’s normal in our community. This story isn’t just us. There’s many, many more just like us.”
Castle had already interviewed Gilbert and her mother for a book when she approached them about the film.
“I didn’t think I was going to be in it. I thought she’d focus on my mother and other women,” Gilbert said.
But when asked, she didn’t hesitate to share her story with Castle.
The resulting film was powerful; Gilbert cried the first time watching it.
“The feeling of that time period, it was so amazing to be where I was at that time. It took me back to a time that was so powerful. I miss it,” Gilbert said.
Castle seemed pleased with her hometown’s reaction to the film.
“I think what’s exciting, first of all, is that you’re all excited, and you all clapped because this is often not a story, that when we were first starting to work on it, that we thought would have this level of appeal,” she said in a question-and-answer session following the film.
Mansfield was where Castle was born, raised and now currently resides. It’s also partly the inspiration for her efforts.
“It means a lot to have it appreciated here because why I went off and did all this was because I grew up here, and I wanted to change things I saw here, and I wanted to bring it home here,” she said.
The gala was organized and sponsored by Shelby High School’s GOLD (Girls Owning Lives of Dissent) group, the newly-formed VOCAL (Voices for Change, Activism and Leadership) group, and the North End Community Improvement Collaborative.
To learn more about Castle’s film, visit warriorwomenfilm.com.
